the trampling of the lilies-第12章

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retreat。　　Reinforced　by　others；　that　crowded　in　behind；　they　charged
boldly　up　the　stairs；　headed　by　a　ragged；　red　capped　giant　named
Souvestre　…　a　man　whom　the　Marquis　had　once　irreparably　wronged。

The　sight　of　him　was　a　revelation　to　Bellecour。　　This　assault　was
Souvestre's　work；　the　fellow　had　been　inciting　the　people　of
Bellecour　for　the　past　twelve　months；　long　indeed　before　the　outbreak
of　the　revolution　proper；　and　at　last　he　had　roused　them　to　the　pitch
of　accompanying　him　upon　his　errand　of　tardy　but　relentless　vengeance。

With　a　growl　the　Marquis　raised　his　pistol。　　But　Souvestre　saw　the
movement；　and　with　a　laugh　he　did　the　like。　　Simultaneously　there
were　two　reports；　and　Bellecour's　arm　fell　shattered　to　his　side。
Souvestre　continued　to　advance；　his　smoking　pistol　in　one　hand　and
brandishing　a　huge　sabre　with　the　other。　　Behind　him；　howling　and
roaring　like　the　beasts　of　prey　they　were　become；　surged　the　tenantry
of　Bellecour　to　pay　the　long…standing　debt　of　hate　to　their　seigneur。

〃Here；〃　said　Des　Cadoux；　with　a　grimace；　〃endeth　the　chapter　of　our
lives。　　I　wonder；　do　they　keep　rappee　in　heaven？〃　　He　snapped　down
the　lid　of　his　gold　snuffbox　…　that　faithful　companion　and　consoler
of　so　many　years　…　and　cast　it　viciously　at　the　head　of　one　of　the
oncoming　peasants。　　Then　tossing　back　the　lace　from　his　wrist　he
brought　his　sword　into　guard　and　turned　aside　a　murderous　stroke
which　an　assailant　aimed　at　him。

〃Animal；〃　he　snapped　viciously；　as　he　set　to　work；　〃it　is　the　first
time　that　my　chaste　blade　has　been　crossed　with　such　dirty　steel　as
yours。　　I　hope；　for　the　honour　of　Cadoux；　that　it　may　not　be　quite
the　last。〃

Up；　and　ever　up；　swept　that　murderous　tide。　　The　half　of　those　that
had　held　the　stairs　lay　weltering　upon　them　as　if　in　a　last　attempt
to　barricade　with　their　bodies　what　they　could　no　longer　defend　with
their　hands。　　A　bare　half…score　remained　standing；　and　amongst　these
that　gallant　old　Cadoux；　who　had　by　now　accounted　for　a；　half…dozen
sans…culottes；　and　was　hence　in　high　glee；　a　man　rejuvenesced。　　His
sallies　grew　livelier　and　more　barbed　as　the　death…tide　rose　higher
about　him。　　His　one　regret　was　that　he　had　been　so　hasty　in　casting
his　snuff　box　from　him；　for　he　was　missing　its　familiar　stimulus。
At　his　side　the　Marquis　was　fighting　desperately；　fencing　with　his
left　arm；　and　in　the　hot　excitement　seeming　oblivious　of　the　pain
his　broken　right　must　be　occasioning。

〃It　is　ended；　old　friend；〃　he　groaned　at　last；　to　Des　Cadoux。　　〃I
am　losing　strength；　and　I　shall　be　done　for　in　a　moment。　　The　women；〃
he　almost　sobbed；　〃mon　Dieu；　the　women！〃

Des　Cadoux　felt　his　old　eyes　grow　moist；　and　the　odd；　fierce　mirth
that　seemed　to　have　hitherto　infected　him　went　out　like　a　candle
that　is　snuffed。　　But　suddenly　before　he　could　make　any　answer；　a
new　and　unexpected　sound；　which　dominated　the　din　of　combat；　and
seemed　to　cause　all　…　assailants　and　defenders　alike　…　to　pause　that
they　might　listen；　was　wafted　to　their　ears。

It　was　the　roll　of　the　drum。　　Not　the　mere　thudding　that　had　beaten
the　step　for　the　mob；　but　the　steady　and　vigorous　tattoo　of　many
sticks　upon　many　skins。

〃What　is　it？　　Who　comes？〃　were　the　questions　that　men　asked　one
another；　as　both　aristocrats　and　sansculottes　paused　in　their　bloody
labours。　　It　was　close　at　hand。　　So　close　at　hand　that　they　could
discern　the　tramp　of　marching　feet。　　In　the　infernal　din　of　that
fight　upon　the　stairs　they　had　not　caught　the　sound　of　this　approach
until　now　that　the　new…comers　…　whoever　they　might　be　…　were　at　the
very　gates　of　Bellecour。

》From　the　mob　in　the　yard　there　came　a　sudden　outcry。　　Men　sprang　to
the　door　of　the　Chateau　and　shouted　to　those　within。

〃Aux　Armes；〃　was　the　cry。　　〃A　nous；　d　nous！〃

And　in　response　to　it　the　assailants　turned　tail；　and　dashed　down
the　stairs；　overleaping　the　dead　bodies　that　were　piled　upon　them；
and　many　a　man　slipping　in　that　shambles　and　ending　the　descent　on
his　back。　　Out　into　the　courtyard　they　swept：　leaving　that　handful
of　gentlemen；　their　fine　clothes　disordered；　splashed　with　blood
and　grimed　with　powder；　to　question　one　another　touching　this
portent；　this　miracle　that　seemed　wrought　by　Heaven　for　their
salvation。





CHAPTER　VI

THE　CITIZEN　COMMISSIONER


It　was；　after　all；　no　miracle；　unless　the　very　timely　arrival　upon
the　scene　of　a　regiment　of　the　line　might　be　accepted　in　the　light
of　Heaven…directed。　　As　a　matter　of　fact；　a　rumour　of　the　assault
that　was　to　be　made　that　night　upon　the　Chateau　de　Bellecour　had
travelled　as　far　as　Amiens；　and　there；　that　evening；　it　had　reached
the　ears　of　a　certain　Commissioner　of　the　National　Convention；　who
was　accompanying　this　regiment　to　the　army　of　Dumouriez；　then　in
Belgium。

Now　it　so　happened　that　this　Commissioner　had　meditated　making　a
descent　upon　the　Chateau　on　his　own　account；　and　he　was　not　minded
that　any　peasantry　should　forestall　or　baulk　him　in　the　business
which　he　proposed　to　carry　out　there。　　Accordingly；　he　issued　certain
orders　to　the　commandant；　from　which　it　resulted　that　a　company；　two
hundred　strong；　was　immediately　despatched　to　Bellecour；　to　either
defend　or　rescue　it　from　the　mob；　and　thereafter　to　await　the　arrival
of　the　Commissioner　himself。

This　was　the　company　that　had　reached　Bellecour　in　the　eleventh　hour；
to　claim　the　attention　of　the　assailants。　　But　the　peasants；　as　we
have　seen；　were　by　no　means　disposed　to　submit　to　interference；　and
this　they　signified　by　the　menacing　front　they　showed　the　military；
abandoning　their　attack　upon　the　Chateau　until　they　should　be　clear
concerning　the　intentions　of　the　newcomers。　　Of　these　intentions　the
Captain　did　not　leave　them　long　in　doubt。　　A　brisk　word　of　command
brought　his　men　into　a　bristling　line　of　attack；　which　in　itself
should　have　proved　sufficient　to　ensure　the　peasantry's　respect。

〃Citizens〃　cried　the　officer；　stepping　forward；　〃in　the　name　of　the
French　Republic　I　charge　you　to　withdraw　and　to　leave　us　unhampered
in　the　business　we　are　here　to　discharge。〃

〃Citizen…captain；〃answered　the　giant　Souvestre；　constituting　himself
the　spokesman　of　his　fellows；　〃we　demand　to　know　by　what　right　you
interfere　with　honest　patriots　of　France　in　the　act　of　ridding　it
of　some　of　the　aristocratic　vermin　that　yet　lingers　on　its　soil？〃

The　officer　stared　at　his　interlocutor；　amazed　by　the　tone　of　the
man　as　much　as　by　the　sudden　growls　that　chorused　it；　but　nowise
intimidated　by　either　the　one　or　the　other。

〃I　proclaimed　my　right　when　I　issued　my　charge　in　the　name　of　the
Republic；〃　he　answered　shortly。

〃We　are　the　Republic；〃　Souvestre　retorted；　with　a　wave　of　the　hand
towards　the　ferocious　crowd　of　men　and　women　behind　him。　　〃We　are
the　Nation　…　the　sacred　people　of　France。　　In　our　own　name；
Citizen…soldier；　we　charge　you　to　withdraw　and　leave　us　undisturbed。〃

Here　lay　the　basis　of　an　argument　into　which；　however；　the　Captain；
being　neither　politician　nor　dialectician；　was　not　minded　to　be
drawn。　　　He　shrugged　his　shoulders　and　turned　to　his　men。

〃Present　arms！〃　was　the　answer　he　delivered；　in　a　voice　of　supreme
unconcern。

〃Citizen…captain；　this　is　an　outrage；〃　screamed　a　voice　in　the　mob。
〃If　blood　is　shed；　upon　your　own　head　be　it。〃

〃Will　you　withdraw？〃　inquired　the　Captain　coldly。

〃To　me；　my　children；〃cried　Souvestre；　brandishing　his　sabre；　and
seeking　to　encourage　his　followers。　　〃Down　with　these　traitors　who
dishonour　the　uniform　of　France！　　Death　to　the　blue…coats！〃

He　leapt　forward　towards　the　military；　and　with　a　sudden　roar　his
followers；　a　full　hundred　strong　sprang　after　him　to　the　charge。

〃Fire！〃　commanded　the　Captain；　and　from　the　front　line　of　his
company　fifty　sheets　of　flame　flashed　from　fifty　carbines。

The　mob　paused；　for　a　second　it　wavered；　then　before　the　smoke　had
lifted　it　broke；　and　shrieking　in　terror；　it　fled　for　cover；　leaving
the　valorous　Souvestre　alone；　to　revile　them　for　a　swarm　of　cowardly
rats。

The　Captain　put　his　hands　to　his　sides　and　laughed　till　the　tears
coursed　down　his　cheeks。　　Checking　his　mirth　at　last；　he　called　to
Souvestre；　who　was　retreating　in　disgust　and　anger。

〃